Oops I Did It Again
by rusty-tiffany
Summary: 12 fics inspired by britney spears. faberry centric.
1. Oops I Did It Again

**Title: **Oops!...I Did It Again

**Rating: **PG (this part)

**Pairing: **one-sided rachel/finn, rachel/quinn

**Word count: **591

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing. Characters belong to fox and ryan murphy/brad falchuk, lyrics belong to Britney Spears.

**A/N: **this is the first of 12 drabbles inspired by the songs of _Oops!...I Did It Again_, the second album of Britney Spears.

* * *

_I think I did it again  
I made you believe  
we're more than just friends  
Oh baby baby  
It might seem like a crush  
But it doesn't mean that I'm serious  
Cause to lose all my senses  
That is just so typically me  
Oh baby, baby_

"Finn! How many times do I have to tell you, this is not happening!"

"But Rach—"

"Don't Rach me! We are _not_ a couple, nor do I want to be! You're talented and a nice guy, but I am not interested in being romantically involved with you. I'm happy to be your friend, but that's it. I'm dating someone else, you know this."

"But when we sing together—"

"It's called _acting_, Finn. We are the leads of glee club, if the audience doesn't believe that we truly mean every word to whatever sappy love song Mr. Schuester has chosen then we fail as performers. I'm sorry if my acting abilities have confused you into thinking that I am harboring more than platonic feeling for you, but as I've said numerous times before, I am currently in a happy and committed relationship with someone else. Someone who I don't think will be too happy to hear that you asked me out. Again."

Rachel looked up at Finn. He was so _tall_, it was kind of awkward actually. He looked so sweet and hopeful that she hated to turn him down yet _again_, but he just didn't seem to get it. She felt bad for him, she really did. She never meant to lead him on, she genuinely did have feelings for him at one point, but she quickly learned that she was merely projecting feelings she had for someone else onto him because he was much more attainable and seemed to be interested in her. Besides, they were the leads of glee, it made logical sense for them to be a couple, but she simply was not interested. He would make a good leading man one day with sufficient vocal training and extensive dance lessons, but she would not be his leading lady. She intended on starring in another's life story.

"Finn Hudson! What did I tell you about hitting on my girlfriend?"

"I-I-I'm sorry, I was just—"

"You were just nothing! I warned you, stay away from her. She's taken. I have no problem with you remaining friends, but if you don't leave her alone I'll be forced to take more drastic measures to ensure that you fully understand that she is _mine_."

"I-I understand. I'm sorry. I won't do it again. I promise."

"Good. We're leaving now. See you tomorrow, Finn."

They turned away from the now-terrified boy and headed out towards the parking lot. Rachel saw the fire burning in hazel eyes, so she opted to keep her mouth shut until they reached the car. The blonde didn't start the car, they just sat there in silence until she turned to Rachel, her eyes now calm.

"I'm sorry for yelling at him like that, I know you two are just friends. It just makes me so angry when he flirts with you like that, as if I don't even exist."

"It's ok baby, I get it. I think you really got to him this time though, he looked like he was about to piss himself."

The other girl just smiled and started the car. They drove for a few minutes, quietly singing along to the radio, until Rachel spoke again.

"Oh, and Quinn?"

"Hmm?"

"You're really sexy when you're jealous."


	2. Stronger

**Title: **Stronger

**Rating: **PG (this part)

**Pairing: **past quinn/puck, rachel/quinn

**Word count:** 1061

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing. Characters belong to fox and ryan murphy/brad falchuk, lyrics belong to Britney Spears.

**A/N: **this is the second of 12 drabbles inspired by the songs of _Oops!...I Did It Again_, the second album of Britney Spears.

* * *

_Hush, just stop  
There's nothing you can do or say, baby  
I've had enough  
I'm not your property as from today, baby  
You might think that I won't make it on my own  
_

_But now I'm stronger than yesterday  
Now it's nothing but my way  
My loneliness ain't killing me no more  
I'm stronger_

_Than I ever thought that I could be, baby  
I used to go with the flow  
Didn't really care 'bout me  
You might think that I can't take it  
But you're wrong_

The sea of students crowding the hallway parted when they saw them approaching. A trio of red-and-white clad Cheerios who everybody knew better than to mess with. The Unholy Trinity. Most students at McKinley were too afraid to even look them in the eye, but there were a few who were brave enough to actually talk to them, and even fewer who could be considered friends.

One of these select few was Noah Puckerman.

He'd earned his place as McKinley royalty by utilizing his good looks, athletic ability and smooth charm. He'd worked his way through most of the acceptable female prospects in the school, as well as a good portion of the cougar population in Lima. He was a stud, and he could have any girl he wanted.

Except, of course, the one he _actually_ wanted.

Quinn Fabray. Head Cheerio, former president of the Christ Crusaders and Celibacy Club, undisputed Head Bitch In Charge. (Well, mostly undisputed. Her right hand man, Santana Lopez, would probably say otherwise.)

He couldn't understand it. He could have literally any other girl in the school (except for Santana and Brittany, the third member of the Trinity, cause they had each other, but they liked to makeout in public and didn't care if he watched so he didn't really mind), and yet he managed to fall for the one girl who would barely give him the time of day. They'd had a brief fling once and he thought it might be the beginning of something, but after dating for two weeks she went back to treating him exactly how she always did: passively and dismissively, like she had more important things to do than listen to yet another failed pick-up attempt. It confused him and, though he would never admit it out loud, it hurt him, as he actually had feeling for the blonde. That was a month ago, and he'd spent every day since them trying to come up with a way to get her back.

* * *

"So Quinn, I was wondering if—"

"Puck, stop. Please. You're embarrassing yourself. I've told you every day for the past month, I'm not interested. This you and me thing, it's never going to happen."

It was springtime, finally warm enough in Lima to sit outside for lunch. Quinn and Puck were seated at their usual table, the one with the best view of the courtyard, with their usual crowd: Santana; Brittany; Finn Hudson, the quarterback and Puck's best friend; Mike Chang and Matt Rutherford, the star wide receiver and defensive back; Kurt Hummel, the token gay kid and lead vocalist for the Cheerios; and Mercedes Jones, an ex-Cheerio and Kurt's best friend. The group was talking amongst themselves and sharing the latest gossip, not really paying attention to Puck and Quinn's conversation, but Puck still lowered his voice before speaking.

"Look, I know you think I'm just a Lima Loser who will do nothing substantial in his life, but I promise I'm going to make something of myself, and I'll be good to you, I swear."

Quinn sighed and pulled him aside to make sure no one overheard them. They both had reputations to uphold, they couldn't risk anyone seeing either of their softer sides. "Puck, listen to me. You're a good guy. You put on that whole tough guy macho act but underneath, I know you really care, which makes this that much harder. I'm sorry I led you on by dating you, however briefly, but I'm just not interested in being with you. I was feeling depressed and lonely and unwanted, and you were there, ready and willing. I took advantage of you and for that I am truly sorry, I never intended to hurt you.

But I don't need that anymore. I know who I am and I don't need you or any other guy to validate that for me. I'm happy on my own. Being with you wouldn't be fair to either of us, and I need you to accept that and move on."

She looked at him, searching his face for comprehension. He swallowed, then nodded. He still didn't completely understand, but he knew Quinn well enough to know that once she made up her mind about something there was no use in trying to change it.

"Ok. But do you think I could still hit on you in public though? I mean I've got a rep to protect."

Quinn punched him in the arm.

* * *

It was Friday, a week since their talk, and Puck was scoping out his next conquest. His eyes scanned the mass of students, no one really catching his eye, until he caught a flash of dark hair and argyle.

Rachel Berry. Female lead of McKinley's glee club, New Directions, member of just about every extra-curricular she could join, low on the McKinley hierarchy (not quite the bottom, that was reserved for freaks like Jacob Ben Israel, but still pretty low) despite her talent and hotness, fellow Jew. He smirked and stood up to go talk to her, when something stopped him.

He watched as Rachel collected her things and went to throw her trash out in the trash can farthest from the tables, almost on the edge of the track and the football field. She was met there by none other than Quinn Fabray, who didn't seem to say anything; she just raised one eyebrow and walked off in the direction of the bleachers. Rachel waited for a moment, looked around to see if anyone was watching her, then followed Quinn's path and disappeared under the bleachers as well.

Puck was confused. Quinn usually ignored Rachel, why would she suddenly be talking to her and meeting under the—

Oh. _Oh._

Now it all made sense. He smiled pevertedly and settled back into his seat. Yeah, he was _definitely_ ok with this.


	3. Don't Go Knocking On My Door

**Title: **Don't Go Knocking on My Door

**Rating: **PG-13 (this part)

**Word Count: **841

**Disclaimer: **characters belong to fox and ryan murphy/brad falchuk. lyrics belong to britney spears.

**A/N: **this is the next in my britney drabble series, inspired by track 3, don't go knocking on my door. i don't hate jesse as much as it might seem like i do from this, i just think quinn hates him that much.

* * *

_I can see  
It's no mystery  
It's so clear to me  
What we had is all history  
It's OK  
I can sleep at night  
It will be alright  
I can hear myself saying  
I am better off without you  
Stronger than ever and I  
I'm telling you now_

Don't go knocking on my door  
Gotta stay away for sure  
You say you miss me like crazy now  
But I ain't buying that  
You better get off my back  
Don't go knocking on my door

"So Jesse texted me."

There was silence on the other line.

"Quinn? Are you still there?"

Quinn practically growled into the phone. "It's been six months. What the hell does that prick want?"

"He wants to see me. I think he feels bad about the way we ended things and wants to make amends."

"Please tell me you told him to go fuck himself."

"Language. And no, I said nothing of the sort. I told him I'd meet him on Thursday after glee."

"_WHAT?"_

"Quinn, relax. I know what I'm doing, I'll be fine. If it make you feel better, you can come spy on us."

"…I'll be there at 4."

"What, no Quinn wait! I was kidding! Quinn!"

Her protests were met with a dial tone.

* * *

Rachel walked into Breadstix on Thursday at 3:55, looked around and spotted Jesse sitting at a table in the middle of the restaurant, smiling and waving at her. As she approached his table, she saw a flash of blonde over his shoulder. Quinn was sitting at a table close enough that she would be able to hear the conversation, but far enough away that Jesse was unlikely to notice her. She was wearing sunglasses and had a magazine propped up in front of her. If the whole idea didn't make her slightly uncomfortable Rachel would have laughed at how ridiculous Quinn was acting. She sat down across from Jesse.

"Rachel! I'm so glad you agreed to meet with me. How have you been?"

"Fine, thank you. And yourself?"

"I've been great! I keep getting offers from all these fabulous theater programs at schools around the country, I don't know what to pick!"

Quinn rolled her eyes. God, he was a pompous asshole. She really hated him.

"I'm leaning towards New York or Los Angeles, though Boston and Chicago have some fantastic options as well. It's all just so exciting, everything I've dreamed about is actually coming true. I'm just missing one thing."

"Hmm? What's that?"

Jesse looked at her with that intense stare that made her feel like she was the only girl in the world.

"You."

Quinn clenched her fists, using every bit of restraint she had not to jump Jesse and rip his head off.

Rachel gaped at him. "What?"

"I was wrong to hurt you like that. I was under significant pressure from my team to prove my loyalty to them, when my loyalty should have been to you. I wasn't lying when I said I loved you. Give me another chance to prove it to you."

"Jesse, I—"

"Please, Rachel. I miss you like crazy. Remember how great we were together? I know you do. I'm going to be a star, and you could be by my side. Just think, everything you've ever wanted. All you have to do is say yes."

Quinn was seething. How _dare_ he come back here and ask for Rachel's forgiveness. He used her and broke her heart. He was the worst kind of douchebag, the kind that thinks he's really a good guy but underneath is a cold, heartless bastard. She was about to get up and rip him a new one when she heard Rachel speak.

"Jesse St. James, how _dare_ you come back here and ask for my forgiveness. You used me and broke my heart. You're a cocky, obnoxious prick. Six months ago I maybe would have considered your offer, but now? I'm smarter than that. What we had is in the past, it's history. I'm stronger now, and I know I'm better off without you. Besides, I'm seeing someone else."

Jesse smirked. "With who? Puck? Finnocence? Mike? I'm better than all of them, baby."

_Baby_. He called her baby. That was the last straw for Quinn. _No one_ called her girlfriend baby but her. She stalked over to Jesse's table.

"Actually, she's with me. And if you ever call her baby again, I'll rip your balls off and shove them up your ass. Then you'll _really_ be able to hit those high notes."

Jesse's jaw dropped as Quinn held out her hand to Rachel, who grasped it and stood. Quinn pulled the shorter girl to her and kissed her deeply, possessively, making sure St. James knew Rachel belonged to her. She pulled away and heard Rachel whimper softly. She grinned.

"C'mon baby, let's go home. St. Asshole here needs some time to process. I think we broke his tiny brain."

Jesse just stared as the two girls left the restaurant, hands clasped tightly together.


	4. I Can't Get No Satisfaction

**Title:** (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction

**Rating: **PG

**Word Count: **1230

**Pairing: **quinn/finn, quinn/rachel, implied brittany/santana

**Disclaimer: **characters belong to fox and ryan murphy/brad falchuk. lyrics belong to britney spears. Bible quotes aren't mine either.

**A/N: **slight AU. Quinn/puck never happened, which means no Beth, but Quinn and Rachel have a tentative friendship, kind of like what should have happened in the back 9 after their moment in sectionals but never did. it's way longer, more Quinn-centric and a little more serious than i meant for it to be, but oh well.

* * *

_I can't get no satisfaction__  
I can't get no satisfaction__  
And I try, and I try, and I try, and I try__  
I can't get no, I can't get no satisfaction  
__  
When I'm driving in my car  
__And that man comes on the radio__  
And he's telling me more and more__  
About some useless information__  
Supposed to fire my imagination_

Brittany was laying on her bed twirling her hair while Quinn sat on her dresser and ranted on about Finn's latest antics.

"…So then he goes, 'No matter what I do for you, it never seems to be enough.' I can't believe he said that. You don't think I'm like that, do you?"

Brittany paused. "Well, you are…"

"What? Don't tell me you agree with him. Oh my god, oh my god!"

"Well I mean one minute everything's fine, and the next minute you're freaking out. It's like you're never satisfied."

"I know I'm a little picky, ok. I just know what I want."

Brittany wasn't convinced. "Do you really?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Do you really know what you want? Cause I'm not so sure you do."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Brittany sighed. "Q, you're my best friend, and I'll support you no matter what. You don't need to put on this act with me. You don't really want to be with Finn, you aren't satisfied with him. I know you're only with him because your parents approve."

"B, I'm not—"

"Quinn. Stop." Brittany sat up and looked at Quinn. "Listen to me. You aren't happy with Finn, that's obvious to anyone with half a brain. Even he's starting to pick up on it, and he's the most oblivious person I've ever met. You need to break up with him, and go after what you really want."

Quinn narrowed her eyes. "And what exactly is it that I want?"

Brittany shrugged. "Rachel Berry."

Quinn's eyes widened and her jaw dropped slightly. She moved her mouth like she was going to speak, but no words came out. She just stared at Brittany, dumbfounded.

"You can't deny it, can you? I knew it. You've always gone out of your way to interact with her, even if it's to call her names and insult her, and you used to draw all those pictures of her. You always find some way to touch her. Plus I've seen you staring at her while she sings in Glee."

Quinn was silent, still too stunned to speak.

"It's ok, I mean, I understand. I look at S the same way. Besides, Rachel is hot. And I'm pretty sure she wants you too."

Quinn hopped off the dresser and quickly gathered her things. "I'm sorry B, I have to go. I'll see you in school tomorrow."

Brittany watched her leave and smiled. She really wasn't as dumb as people thought she was, she just acted that way because it was expected. High school was like a poker game; she was just playing her hand the best way she knew how. She rolled back on her bed and grabbed her phone.

"Hey S…yeah she just left…mmhmm…no they're out for the night." She listened for a moment, then smiled. "I'll leave the door open."

* * *

Quinn couldn't get out of Brittany's room fast enough. She ran to her car and drove to the now-deserted park she used to go to as a kid. It was her favorite place to be alone and think. She turned off the engine and leaned back against her seat.

Rachel Berry? Was Brittany crazy? She couldn't possibly have a crush on Rachel Berry…could she? When she looked past all the argyle, the other girl really was quite attractive. Quinn did think about the brunette pretty much all the time, and Brittany had a point, she did catch herself staring at Rachel in glee…and in Spanish…and history….and math…

_No._ She was _not_ going to entertain this ridiculous idea. It was fine for Brittany and Santana (she wasn't stupid, she knew what was going on there), but her? She was a good Christian girl, she had a boyfriend. There was _no way_ she could possibly have a crush on Rachel freaking Berry. Quinn leaned over and turned on her radio, thinking maybe music would help clear her head. Instead of music, however, her car filled with the sound of the Reverend's voice delivering last week's sermon. Her father recorded the sermon every week and gave her the tapes to listen to in the car, a constant reminder that God was everywhere and that He was always watching.

_It says in Leviticus 18:22, "Thou shall not lay with another man as thou does with a woman; it is an abomination." Leviticus 20:13 reiterates this fact, "If a man lies with a male as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. They shall surely be put to death. Their blood shall be upon them." The words could not be any clearer: homosexuality is a sin, and those who partake in this repugnant act shall be shunned by the community, as they are impure and will be sent to hell for all eternity upon their deaths._

As she listened to the Reverend's words, a verse she had learned time and time again in Sunday School and in lessons at home with her father, Quinn began to think about other verses she learned.

_"Do not cut the hair at the sides of your head or clip off the edges of your beard." (Leviticus 19:27)  
__"Your male and female slaves are to come from the nations around you; from them you may buy slaves. You may also buy some of the temporary residents living among you and members of their clans born in your country, and they will become your property." (Leviticus 25:44-45)__  
"...do not plant your field with two kinds of seed. Do not wear material woven of two kinds of material." (Leviticus 19:19)  
"But all in the seas or in the rivers that do not have fins and scales, all that move in the water or any living thing which is in the water, they are an abomination to you. They [shellfish] shall be an abomination to you; you shall not eat their flesh, but you shall regard their carcasses as an abomination. Whatever in the water does not have fins or scales; that shall be an abomination to you." (Leviticus 11:10-12)_

All of these rules, none of which are enforced anymore. Her father shaved, he didn't own slaves, he wore polyester, he ate shrimp and lobster. All things that are prohibited in the exact same way as homosexuality. So why was that one so bad?

Quinn shut off the radio. She couldn't listen to those words anymore. Brittany was right, she wasn't satisfied. Not just with Finn, but with her life. She was living the life her parents wanted her to live, not the one _she_ wanted to live. Every choice she made was influenced by whether or not they would approve. She was sick of it. From now on, she was going to do what she wanted, her parents' expectations be damned. She dug her phone out of her bag and dialed. She waited one, two, three rings before the line picked up.

"Hello?"

"Hey Rachel, it's Quinn. I was just wondering, are you free for dinner tomorrow?"


	5. Don't Let Me Be the Last to Know

**Title: **Don't Let Me Be the Last to Know

**Rating: **PG-13/R, for light swearing and a tiny bit of sex

**Word Count: **1429

**Pairing: **quinn/rachel, side brittany/santana

**Disclaimer:** characters belong to fox and ryan murphy/brad falchuk. lyrics belong to britney spears.

**A/N: **this is the next in my britney series, inspired by track 5, don't let me be the last to know. i'm not referring to this as a drabble series anymore, since most of the chapters are significantly longer than drabble-length. i had a different idea of where to go with it that was a bit more angsty, but after the copious amounts of hotness in the premiere tonight (rachel in telephone, quinn/santana fight, quinn standing up to sue, all the girls in empire state of mind...) and the promo for next week i was inspired to write something fluffier. you also have that promo to thank for this being finished right now, as i needed a reason to stop watching it over and over and decided that writing a britney-inspired fic was a suitable substitute.

* * *

_Your body language says so much  
Yeah, I feel it in the way you touch  
But till you say the words it's not enough  
C'mon and tell me you're in love, please_

_Don't, don't let me be the last to know  
Don't hold back, just let it go  
I need to hear you say  
You need me all the way  
Oh, if you love me so  
Don't let me be the last to know_

"Please, baby, I'm so close…just a little—oh _god_ right there…don't stop…ohfuckrightthereohmygod QUINN!"

Quinn let Rachel ride out her orgasm, then crawled up Rachel's body and kissed her. The brunette could taste herself on the blonde's lips and she moaned. "God, baby. That was amazing. You are incredible."

Quinn smirked. "Well, yeah. I'm Quinn fucking Fabray. Of course I'm awesome."

Rachel laughed. "Jesus, you sound like Santana." The two girls laid together in silence and enjoyed the afterglow for a few minutes before Rachel took a deep breath and rolled off the bed.

"I need to shower." She leaned over and kissed Quinn again. "And no you can't join me. I actually need to get clean. We are meeting Brittany and Santana in a half hour, and I don't think the restaurant would appreciate us reeking of sex."

Rachel walked into the adjoining bathroom and closed the door. Quinn heard the water turn on, followed by the sound of Rachel singing in the shower. Rachel's shower song choices went through phases; one week it was Broadway, the next it was indie rock, the one after that it was gangsta rap. This week Rachel seemed to be working her way through Britney Spears' early discography, as she was currently singing selections from _Oops!...I Did It Again_.

Quinn smiled. She and Rachel had been sleeping together for almost four months now, and she'd never been happier. Once she accepted that her years of tormenting Rachel were really just a manifestation of her repressed attraction to the other girl, the two struck up a tentative friendship that soon developed into a sexual relationship, but they had yet to make it official. Rachel was amazing and Quinn cared very deeply about her, but she couldn't bring herself to admit that she was in love with the brunette.

* * *

After they finished eating, Rachel, Quinn, Brittany and Santana decided to go for a walk in the park. There was a pond that had ducks sometimes, and Brittany dragged Rachel with her to see if any were there that night. Quinn and Santana watched in amusement as Rachel and Brittany ran around and played on the jungle gyms like little kids. As she watched Rachel instruct Brittany on the correct way to use the tire swing Quinn felt a pair of eyes on her and turned to see Santana looking at her expectantly.

Quinn arched one eyebrow. "Yes?"

Santana got right to the point. "Have you told her you love her yet?"

Quinn shook her head and turned back to see Brittany holding Rachel on her shoulders so she could reach the monkey bars. It was really quite adorable.

Santana swatted her leg to get her attention. "What the hell are you waiting for? It's obvious to everyone that you're crazy about her, and it's clear that she's head over heels for you too. Get your shit together and just tell her already."

Quinn sighed. "I don't know. I'm just not ready. I'm waiting for the right time."

Santana gave her a look and looked back at her girlfriend, who was now hanging upside down from the monkey bars while Rachel sat on the ground next to them. "Just don't wait too long, okay Q? She loves you, but she's not going to wait forever."

Quinn almost laughed. "Santana Lopez, you care about Rachel, don't you? This isn't just about me, you don't want her to get hurt because you actually like her."

"Shut it, Fabray. I will admit that yes, the midget has grown on me, but only because Brittany likes her and because she makes you happy, even if you are too stubborn to tell her. It doesn't mean that she's not still annoying or that I'm going to stop making fun of her or anything, she's just like a fuckin' Chia pet or something." Santana glared at Quinn, but Quinn ignored her, laughing to herself and shaking her head.

"Quinn! Santana! Brittany and I are hungry, and we've mutually decided that ice cream would be the perfect way to satisfy us."

"I can think of much more satisfying things that ice cream…" Santana mumbled under her breath, but it was loud enough for Quinn to hear. Quinn hit Santana on the shoulder and stood up. "I think ice cream sounds perfect. Let's go."

* * *

The four girls got their ice cream and were going to go up to Lookout Point, but Santana took one look at Brittany licking her strawberry cone and declared that they were leaving, she had other plans for the evening, so Quinn and Rachel went alone. They were laying on the hood of Quinn's car stargazing, Rachel's head resting on Quinn's chest, a comfortable silence between them. Rachel was softly humming to herself (Quinn wasn't positive, but she thought it sounded like 'As Long As You Love Me' by the Backstreet Boys), and Quinn let her mind wander.

_What is wrong with me? Just tell her you love you, you idiot, or eventually you're gonna lose the best thing that's ever happened to you. It's just three words. Three little words. It's not that hard. I. Love. You. Simple._

Quinn looked down at Rachel. She looked so content, so relaxed, so _right_ laying in Quinn's arms that Quinn couldn't help but smile. "God, I love you," she whispered softly, then realized what she'd just said and froze. Her eyes grew wide. Rachel was still humming, maybe she hadn't heard her?

Rachel felt Quinn's body tense and looked up at her. "You ok, babe?"

Quinn kissed her head and nodded. "I'm fine, just got the chills for a second."

Rachel settled back into Quinn's shoulder, frowning slightly. She was sure she heard Quinn say she loved her, but obviously Quinn didn't want her to know. Rachel had been in love with Quinn since before they started hanging out, and her feelings just intensified when they'd started having sex. She knew Quinn needed time to sort out her feelings, so she kept quiet and was waiting for Quinn to say it first.

Neither girl said anything more on the subject, they just cuddled under the stars until it got late and Rachel had to get home before her curfew.

The ride back to Rachel's house was quiet, the low buzz of the radio the only sound in the car. Quinn pulled into the driveway, shut off the engine and turned to Rachel. "So I'll see you tomorrow at school?"

Rachel nodded, and leaned in to kiss Quinn goodnight. She only meant for it to be a light goodbye kiss, but it seemed Quinn had other ideas. As soon as their lips met Quinn's hand tangled itself in Rachel's hair and pulled her closer, deepening the kiss. Rachel returned the kiss instinctively, opening her mouth and caught Quinn's bottom lip between her teeth. Quinn whimpered softly, and pulled back slightly to catch her breath. She pressed her forehead against Rachel's, her eyes still closed.

"Fuck it," she muttered, still breathing heavily, "Rach I love you. I want you to be my girlfriend."

Quinn opened her eyes to see a huge grin plastered on Rachel's face. Rachel pressed her lips hard against Quinn's, but pulled away before Quinn could respond.

"Thank god. What the hell took you so long? I love you too. I've loved you since eighth grade when everyone had to sing a line of our stupid graduation song. I've just been waiting for you to finally stop being so damn stubborn and admit that you're totally in love with me."

Quinn couldn't resist the smile that spread across her face. She thought about challenging Rachel and asking how she was so sure it was going to work out in her favor, but she didn't really care. "So is that a yes then?"

Rachel kissed her again. "Yes, I want to be your girlfriend. Even if you are a stubborn idiot."

Quinn grinned. "But I'm _your_ stubborn idiot, so it's ok right?"

Rachel rolled her eyes, but she smiled and kissed Quinn before inviting her inside to spend the night. Yeah, it was totally ok.


	6. What U See Is What You Get

**Title: ** What U See (Is What You Get)  
**Rating:** PG-13, for minor swearing  
**Word Count: **1443  
**Pairing: **quinn/rachel, rachel/finn, implied brittany/santana  
**Spoilers: **slight britney/brittany  
**Disclaimer:** characters belong to fox and ryan murphy/brad falchuk. lyrics belong to britney spears.  
**A/N: **part of my britney fic series, inspired by track 6, what u see (is what you get). i initially had a completely different idea of how to do this chapter, but after watching britney/brittany and seeing rachel in that outfit, i couldn't resist writing a fic about it, and so this happened. i don't love it, but i've been stuck on this part for a while and i wanted to get it done sooner rather than later.

* * *

_I know you watch me when I'm dancing  
When I party with my friends  
I can feel your eyes on my back, baby  
I can't have no chains around me, baby can't you see  
I could be anything you dream of, but I gotta feel free  
You should never try to change me  
I can be nobody else  
And I like the way I am_

What you see is what you get  
This is me, hey you  
If you want me, don't forget  
You should take me as I am  
Cause I can promise you  
Baby, what you see is what you get

Time seemed to slow down when she entered the building. Heads turned, conversations stopped, people stared. She pretended not to notice all the attention, twirling one of her braided pigtails absentmindedly as she made her way to her locker, but it was a little hard. Usually she was mocked and insulted in the hallways, if not completely ignored; now she was getting wolf whistles and catcalls. Immature and sexist as it may be, it was a welcome change.

Her new look was inspired by the extremely vivid fantasy she had while sedated at the dentist's office. She dreamt that she was in the "…Baby One More Time" music video, one of her all-time favorites, complete with the outfits, backup dancers, even the blue convertible. She harbored a not-so-secret crush on Britney Spears, and figured that borrowing Britney's schoolgirl style was an appropriate way to pay homage to one of her idols.

Putting the outfit together was surprisingly easy. She already had the necessary components, she just needed to accessorize accordingly. The shoes, knee socks, and skirt weren't all that different from what she normally wore, and years of sticking to a strict elliptical workout resulted in toned abs that looked amazing under a tied up button-down shirt. All that was left was the gray cardigan and pink bows at the end of her braids, and she was good to go.

She made it all the way to her locker before he saw her. His eyes grew wide and he started mumbling something that sounded like "mailman" as he grabbed a sweatshirt from his locker and approached her.

He thrust the sweatshirt at her. "Put this on." It wasn't a question or a friendly gesture; it was a command.

She shook her head. "Thank you, but that isn't necessary. I'm perfectly comfortable as I am. It's still quite warm outside, and I fear that I might overheat if I wore that. It was sweet of you to offer, though."

His eyes narrowed. "Put. It. On. Now."

"No."

"God dammit, Rachel. I don't want my girlfriend walking around looking like some slutty schoolgirl! Put the fucking sweatshirt on and cover up, for christ's sake."

Rachel didn't react, she just continued gathering the materials she needed for class. When she was finished, she turned and looked up at him calmly.

"Well then maybe I shouldn't be your girlfriend. Cause I'm not changing. I'll see you in glee, Finn. I have to get to class."

She brushed past him and headed down the hall to her first period class, leaving the freakishly tall boy holding his sweatshirt and staring dumbfounded at the spot where she'd been standing moments earlier.

* * *

Finn took his time packing up his bag after glee, stalling until he and Rachel were the only ones left. She didn't acknowledge him, so he took a deep breath and walked over to where she was looking over the sheet music for the song they were currently working on.

He didn't touch her or say anything, he just stood awkwardly hovering over her. After a few minutes she spoke, her eyes never leaving the page on her lap. "Did you want something, or are you just going to stand there and be creepy? Cause I don't mind, really, if that's what you want to do, I would just appreciate a little forewarning. And also, could you move to your right slightly? You're blocking the light."

Finn stepped to his left. Rachel rolled her eyes. God he was dumb sometimes.

"I, um, wanted to apologize. You don't look like a slutty schoolgirl. You actually look pretty amazing. I was just being stupid and jealous. I didn't like all those guys checking you out. It's easier when you look like you normally do, most people don't notice you. I like it better like that." Rachel still didn't look up, but he continued anyway. "So can we, you know, not be broken up anymore? I'm sorry I was a jerk."

Rachel sighed and turned to face him. "Finn, if it were just about today, then you would be right. Maybe I did overreact a little breaking up with you over something moronic comment you made, god knows we would have been over a long time ago if I actually did that every time you said something dumb. But it's bigger than that. Ever since we started dating you've been trying to make me into someone who fits your wants and needs, rather than considering what I want or trying to find some kind of compromise. At the pool you didn't like me laying out in just a bikini, I always had to be covered up. I know you don't like to dance so I never forced you to accompany me to clubs or join me on the dance floor at parties, but you would get mad if I danced with someone else at a party, or even if I danced by myself and you thought it was too sexy. You allow others to insult my clothes, and occasionally you agree with them. God, Finn, you think I'm a controllist, which, by the way, isn't even a real word, it's controlling? Take a look in the mirror. Now if you'll excuse me, I have dinner plans this evening and I need to complete at least two-thirds of my homework before I start getting ready. I'll see you around."

She stood and brushed past him and walked out of the choir room to the parking lot, leaving the freakishly tall boy holding his backpack and staring dumbfounded at the seat where she'd been sitting moments earlier.

* * *

A few weeks passed. Rachel and Finn remained broken up, despite Finn's best efforts to prove to her that he could be a better boyfriend. He tried everything he could think of, from serenading her in glee to quitting the football team and allowing himself to get slushied (he rejoined when it didn't work) to publicly declaring that anyone who insulted or attempted to slushie Rachel would have to answer to him, but nothing worked. Her intent had never been to change him, she just wanted him to understand that the way he treated her wasn't fair. Whatever spark they'd had was gone; she would have broken up with him anyway.

Since her split from Finn Rachel had improved her style, never quite reaching the level of her schoolgirl outfit but dressing better overall, and the slushies stopped, as people began to recognize that she was actually quite attractive and they no longer felt the need to force her to change clothes in the middle of the day. The fact that she had started spending most of her time with Quinn, who had returned in all her HBIC glory, certainly didn't hurt. After Santana, Quinn was the most feared student at McKinley, and everyone knew better than to mess with her friends. No one understood exactly how or when Quinn and Rachel began hanging out, just that it was right around when Rachel dumped Finn, but no one wanted to be the one to ask. They just accepted it and treated Rachel with the same respect they did the Cheerios, for fear of angering the blonde cheerleader.

It happened slowly, without anyone really realizing what was going on. When Quinn and Rachel went from being enemies to friends seemingly out of the blue, people started talking, but the hype quickly died down, as no one dared to question Quinn Fabray. When Rachel began sitting at the Cheerios table at lunch some people started whispering, but Quinn simply raised her eyebrow and the conversation stopped. When Rachel started wearing Quinn's letterman jacket and walked around with their pinkies linked à la Brittany and Santana, a few people looked on suspiciously, but wisely kept their mouths shut.

When Quinn and Rachel got caught skipping class to make out in the second floor girls' bathroom, a couple people pretended to be shocked, but really, no one was surprised. They all totally saw it coming.


	7. Lucky

**Title: ** Lucky  
**Rating:** PG  
**Word Count: **1195  
**Pairing: **quinn/rachel, implied brittany/santana  
**Disclaimer:** characters belong to fox and ryan murphy/brad falchuk. lyrics belong to britney spears.  
**A/N: **next part of my britney fic series, inspired by track 7, lucky. sorry it's taken so long to get this part up, i just haven't been feeling this lately and i keep writing other things instead. it takes place in the future, and it's also a slight crossover with another show that i don't want to give away, you'll just have to read and find out.

* * *

_She's so lucky, she's a star  
But she cry, cry, cries in her lonely heart, thinking  
If there's nothing missing in my life  
Then why do these tears come at night_

She awoke early Friday morning to the sound of someone pounding on her door. She knew it was her manager, he was the only one who wasn't so in awe of her to do something like that. She looked at the clock next to her bed. 6:42 am. Fan-fucking-tastic. She'd only finally fallen asleep four hours earlier, and she had a full day of appearances and interviews to promote her new movie ahead of her, then a party that night for some big-name producer she'd never actually met. She sighed, rolled out of bed and headed for the door. It was going to be a long day.

* * *

It was after 3 am when she finally stumbled back home. She'd spent the entire day smiling and talking to people, signing autographs and taking pictures with fans. She loved it, she really did. This was her dream, what she'd been working toward since she was a baby. She was just so _tired,_ all of the time.

She walked out to her balcony and looked out over the city. It wasn't exactly quiet, New York never is, but there was an air of peacefulness that only existed in the earliest hours of the day. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. A single tear rolled down her cheek.

This had become a regular occurrence. She'd get a minimal amount of sleep (most days she ran on 3-4 hours If she was really lucky she could get up to 6, but that was a rare treat), spend all day out at whatever events her manager and agent booked for her, then come home, go out on the balcony and cry. She didn't understand it. She had everything she ever wanted. She'd starred on Broadway and recorded albums that went platinum in a matter of weeks. She acted on television and in movies. She had a Tony, a Grammy, an Emmy and had been nominated for an Oscar twice, and critics were already saying that she'd be nominated again for her latest role and the third time's the charm. She'd become an international superstar and a household name, and she wasn't even thirty. So why did she cry herself to sleep every night?

Even though it was late, the apartment across the street had a light on. She could see a couple cuddling on the couch watching TV. They were feeding each other popcorn and kissing, and seemed to be completely in love.

Love. That was it. Despite all her success, she was alone. She barely even had friends, never mind a boyfriend or girlfriend. When her career first started taking off, she was too focused on making it to worry about dating. When she got more popular, her manager warned her about letting anyone get too close, since she was a big star and she could never be too careful. What if the person was just interested in her money or celebrity, or worse, what if they were trying to get a story for a magazine or material for a tell-all book? Now that she was an established star, she was too busy. At least, that's what she told reporters who asked about her personal life. The truth was, she just didn't know how to be with someone, and she had a hard time trusting people. But that didn't mean she didn't _want_ to find someone. It was just easier to be alone. That way, she couldn't get hurt, and she didn't need to worry about making sure anyone else was okay. She could just take care of herself. She knew how to do that; she'd been doing it for 29 years. The idea of being with someone else at this point was just too scary to contemplate. She would rather spend every night sobbing alone on her balcony.

* * *

"Cut! That was fantastic, Rachel. Really beautiful. I think we got it. That's a wrap everyone! Enjoy your weekend!" The director smiled at her. The cast and crew started cleaning up the set and collecting their belonging, ready to head home and relax for a couple of days. Rachel walked off toward her trailer to change, waving and saying goodbye to people on her way. She'd spent all morning shooting crying scenes, and she was exhausted. She entered her trailer, dropped the dress from Wardrobe on the floor and collapsed on the couch. She felt someone straddle her hips, lean over and kiss her lightly. She knew who it was without opening her eyes and smiled.

"Hi baby. I know you're tired, but do you think you have the energy to go out for dinner? Brittany and Santana are here for the weekend and they want to see us."

Rachel opened her eyes and looked up at her girlfriend. "Of course I have energy for them! I just need a nap first, so come here and cuddle with me."

Quinn laughed and kissed her, but stood up. "I don't think Spencer would be too happy to find you sleeping here when she wrapped early specifically because she knew how hard you've been working. Put on some clothes and come home, then we can nap and shower before dinner. Sound good?"

Rachel nodded. "Okay. It is nice being friends with your director. I think she was eager to get home anyway, Ashley just got home from her tour and they have some catching up to do." She smirked, and got up off the couch to get dressed while Quinn gathered their stuff. They quickly checked the trailer to make sure they weren't forgetting anything important. Just as Quinn was about to open the door to go out to their car, Rachel grabbed her wrist and pulled until Quinn was facing her. She looked into her eyes for a moment, then leaned in and kissed her lovingly.

"Thank you."

Quinn cocked her head to the side in confusion. "You're welcome I guess? What are you thanking me for?"

"For being here. This movie has been making me think about what my life could have been if it weren't for you. I probably would have been exactly like my character, but you didn't let that happen, and I'm so happy about that cause you're the best thing that's ever happened to me, more than any award I've won or will ever win, and I love you."

Quinn smiled and kissed Rachel. "I love you too, munchkin. I promise I'll never let you become one of those people that cries themselves to sleep at night. You're my favorite, forever. You're stuck with me baby."

Rachel grinned and opened the trailer door. "Good. I'm glad. Let's go home. Suddenly I'm not so tired anymore. I'm kind of...hungry, actually."

Quinn raised her eyebrow. "Oh really, now. Well, what kind of girlfriend would I be if I didn't allow you to eat? Come on, I'll drive. We'll be home in 7 minutes."

"Baby, we live 15 minutes away."

Quinn smirked. "I know."


	8. One Kiss From You

**Title:** One Kiss From You  
**Rating:** PG  
**Word Count: ** 1142  
**Pairing: **quinn/rachel  
**Spoilers:** through Sectionals, after that it's AU  
**Disclaimer:** characters belong to fox and ryan murphy/brad falchuk. lyrics belong to britney spears.  
**A/N: **part of my britney fic series, inspired by track 8, one kiss from you. i have no idea how this ended up the way it did, i just kind of started typing and this happened. i wanted to get this part done quickly cause i have a busy few days ahead and didn't want to make y'all wait too long for it. it's also 6am, so there are probably typos and things that don't quite make sense. if you catch any let me know, i'll probably read through it again when i'm better rested and edit it anyway though.

* * *

_I don't wanna hear my time will come  
When it feels like it's already here  
We should learn to walk before we run  
But why go anywhere when you're so near  
'Cause when I reach out to you  
So sad and confused  
And feeling like I could cry  
You dry my eyes_

_Just one kiss from you, and suddenly  
I see the road laid out in front of me  
You give me strength, you give me hope  
And when you hold me in your arms  
You make me whole  
And I don't know just what I would do  
Without one kiss from you_

Quinn stared at the blank screen in front of her. She'd been sitting in the library for an hour, and still only had two words. She knew what she wanted to say, she just couldn't find the right words to say it. She took a deep breath.

_Dear Rachel,_

That was all she had. She wanted to write a beautiful, eloquent letter that explained all her feelings. A letter that could express all the things she couldn't say out loud. She wanted to tell the brunette that she felt like she was flying whenever they kissed. That holding her hand made Quinn feel powerful. That when she looked into those chocolate eyes she felt like she never wanted to look at anything else ever again. Quinn wanted her girlfriend to know that she was completely and totally head-over-heels butt-crazy in love with her.

Their parents didn't understand. Most of their friends didn't understand. No one told them they were wrong exactly; most people just looked at them almost condescendingly and like they were too young to know what they were talking about, that they couldn't be so in love at their age. The few that believed in them still though that it was just a puppy love, one that wouldn't stand the test of time. That their love would only last until one or both or them found something (or someone) better. Her friends knew Rachel and didn't dislike her, but they thought Quinn should find someone that matched her better than the short brunette did. Quinn disagreed. Why should she go looking for something better when she already had the best? Sure, they may not be equals on the social hierarchy of high school, but that didn't mean Rachel wasn't good enough for her. Physically, they fit together perfectly. Quinn was a few inches taller than Rachel, just enough that Rachel's head fit under Quinn's chin in the most comfortable way possible. Where Quinn was all light hair, light eyes and pale skin, Rachel was dark hair, dark eyes and tanned skin. They were opposites, but they complimented each other beautifully, and no one could argue that they didn't look wicked hot together.

As she sat thinking about everything she wanted to say, she began typing. The words flowed out of her, coming together in ways she didn't know she was capable of. She talked about their beginning, how Rachel stood by her and befriended her when everyone else abandoned her. How when she was hurt and confused and alone, Rachel didn't laugh at her or use it to make Quinn's life hell; rather, she simply wiped Quinn's tears away and held her until she felt like a whole person again, not the broken shell of the girl she had been. She talked about how that friendship had blossomed into something more, something deeper, something neither of them expected but that they didn't run from. They just went with it, and from the very first time they kissed they both knew they were in much deeper than anyone could have ever imagined.

As the memories flooded through her, Quinn kept writing. She recounted their first official date, where everything had gone so wrong but in the end all that mattered was Rachel smiling at her and telling her that it was the best date she'd ever been on. She wrote about the first time they spent the night together, just cuddling and sleeping, and how Quinn thought that she couldn't ever remember sleeping so soundly before in her life, and she wrote about the first time they slept together, both fumbling and nervous and unsure of exactly what to do, though they agreed afterward that they would just have to practice many, many more times until they got it right (even though they both secretly thought the first time was absolutely perfect).

She recalled how anxious she'd been about rejoining the Cheerios, how scared she'd been that it would affect her relationship with Rachel, and how Rachel just kissed her and told her that they would be fine as long as Quinn remembered how they felt about each other before asking her to keep the uniform on for later, because she thought Quinn looked hot in it and Rachel planned on ravishing her in it. She mentioned homecoming, where she and Rachel proudly went as a couple and Quinn was voted Homecoming Queen despite her fall from grace a year earlier, and how Finn, who had won Homecoming King, graciously stepped aside to allow the two girls to dance during what was traditionally the King and Queen's dance. (He even gave his crown to Rachel, even though it was too big for her head and kept falling off).

Quinn filled page after page with memories of their relationship over the past two years. The high points, the low points, the laughter, the tears, the inside jokes, the sentimental places, the secret pet names. She poured her heart out, but felt comfortable doing so, as she knew that Rachel would keep it safe.

She looked over the last paragraph one more time before printing it and heading off to find Rachel. She knew the other girl was nervous about her speech, and she wanted to help calm her down while at the same time tell her (again) how incredibly proud she was of her. After all, it's not every day your girlfriend graduates valedictorian of your high school class. Quinn smiled, grabbed her cap and ran down the hall to the choir room, where she knew Rachel would likely be.

* * *

_People don't understand it. Hell half the time I don't even understand it. There are so many reasons why we shouldn't work as a couple, so many things stacked against us, willing us to fail. But none of it matters. All that matters is that when you kiss me, I feel like I can do anything. I believe we will get out of this town and never look back, that all our dreams will come true. You make me feel like I can do anything. I know we're young, but I believe in you. I believe in us. You're my girl, always and forever. I love you baby._


	9. Where Are You Now

**Title:** Where Are You Now  
**Rating:** NC-17  
**Word Count:** 1483  
**Pairing:** quinn-centric, quinn/rachel  
**Spoilers:** through Sectionals, after that it's AU  
**Disclaimer:** characters belong to fox and ryan murphy and co. lyrics belong to britney spears.  
**A/N:** part of my britney fic series, inspired by track 9, where are you now. it's a bit angsty, and almost completely quinn-centric. i'm sorry it took so long to get this part up, i had no motivation to write it for a while since it had to be angst, i couldn't find any way around it with the lyrics, and i wasn't really in a writing mood. but here it is, and hopefully the next three parts won't take as long. i'm not sure about some of the tenses in the middle, i might have messed it up a little, but oh well. if y'all see a glaring error i'll fix it.

* * *

_Calling out your name  
Your face is everywhere  
I'm reaching out to you  
To find that you're not there  
I wake up every night  
To see the state I'm in  
It's like an endless fight  
I never seem to win_

_I can't go on as long as I believe  
Can't let go when I keep wondering_

_Where are you now, what have you found  
Where is your heart, when I'm not around  
Where are you now, you gotta let me know  
Oh baby, so I can let you go_

It's been five years. Five fucking years since you were friends, since you loved her. Since you broke your heart. You're over her, you really are. At least, that's what you tell yourself, even though deep down you know it's not true. You've moved on, admitted to yourself who you really are, been with other girls. But still she's there, always, in the back of your mind.

You wanted her so badly, more than you were really able to recognize at the time, and you only got a taste of it before she was ripped away from you, before you got scared and fled. There are still days when you lay in bed, thinking about what it would have been like with her had you not left, or if you bumped into her now. You don't want to imagine what it would feel like to have her lips pressed against yours, to feel her body flush against yours, warm and inviting and wanting. You hate yourself some days for fantasizing about her, but you can't help it.

After all the baby drama settled, you were able to swallow your pride and admit that she might have been right, that you might need her a little bit after all. You slowly became friends, and she turned out to be the best friend you'd ever had, before or since. You don't even know how it happened, but somewhere along the line you started seeing her differently, in a way that both terrified and excited you. You began focusing on her lips as she spoke or sang, rather than the sound coming from them. You found yourself staring at her barely-covered ass, or at the curve of her breasts concealed by argyle and animal sweaters. You caught yourself mesmerized by long, tanned legs that should have seemed out of place on her small body, but instead had you fantasizing about how they would feel wrapped around you. You refused to give into those thoughts, to admit to anyone how you really felt, but that didn't stop you from losing yourself in fantasies late at night, safe in your own bed, as your hand slipped lower to alleviate the ache she unknowingly caused.

Not a day goes by that you don't regret not following her to New York. You had the acceptance to NYU sitting in your desk drawer, all you had to do was send the letter confirming your decision to matriculate there and everything would have been perfect. But you were too much of a coward, too afraid of your own feelings, to take that risk and give yourself the opportunity to be happy, so you turned down NYU and went to UC Berkeley instead. You ran from the one person who truly cared about you, who just might have been the love of your life had you given her a fair chance, and fled to the opposite side of the country.

You had one night with her, the night after graduation. Puck had a party for the original twelve glee members (well, thirteen, because even though Matt was invited, you all still considered Sam part of the group) and their significant others. As the night wore on and more alcohol was ingested, the couples began to disappear into the upstairs bedrooms, or just into dark corners. Brittany and Santana; Tina and Artie (who had finally reunited senior year after Artie admitted he was a bit of a misogynist, but he loved Tina and was working on it); Kurt and Blaine; Sam and his boyfriend (it turned out he was bisexual); Mike, Matt and Finn and their girlfriends; Puck and whatever girl he was sleeping with that week; which left you and her. You were both single, and had been for a while. You'd both been drinking, but not enough that either of you could really be considered drunk, just tipsy enough to lower your inhibitions. You made your way up to one of the bedrooms, since neither of you were in any condition to drive home. She tripped over nothing on your way into the room, and you collapsed on the bed in a fit of giggles. You don't even know how it happened; one minute you were laying next to her laughing, the next you were on top of her, her hands in your hair and your tongue down her throat. Most of the night is a blur, but you remember every detail of that part perfectly. You remember every touch, every kiss, every moan and whimper. You remember how the muscles in her stomach clenched as you ran your hands over them, how her nipples hardened when you flicked your tongue over them, the way she gasped when you slid two fingers inside of her, how she moaned and cried out your name as she tightened and clenched around you before collapsing in a satisfied heap. More than anything, you remember how she whispered, "I love you" against your chest before cuddling up to you and falling asleep. You didn't sleep that night, your mind racing with what had happened between you and how you had to get out of there. You waited until you were sure she was asleep, kissed her forehead, then gathered your clothes and left. It was the last time you saw her.

Even now, five years later, your mind still returns to thoughts of her, as your hand moves below your blanket and trails down your stomach. You know where she is and what she's doing; she's a big Broadway star, just like she always said she'd be. You've seen all the magazine articles and television interviews and she's just as charming and loveable as she always was. She seems to be happy, and the last thing you would ever want to do is barge back into her life, even if it's the only thing you're certain about wanting. You didn't date much in college, just slept around with the same girls until you got bored and moved on. You never committed to any of them. You changed your major three times, until it got too late and you had to just stick with one if you wanted to graduate on time. Now here you were, a year out of college, working a dead-end job that you hated but it paid the bills, and the only thing you know you wanted in your life was her. It was too late for you now though. You had your chance five years ago, and you walked out. You hate yourself for it, and want nothing more than to just get over her, but it's easier said that done.

You move your hand lower, to the waistband of your underwear. This has been a nightly occurrence for the past five years, any night where you found yourself without a warm body to help you forget the dark eyes that haunted you, even if just for a few hours. You slip inside, feeling the warmth emanating from your core and sighing at the wetness you find there. You don't tease yourself, and immediately begin thrusting hard with two fingers; this isn't about your pleasure, it's about relaxing you enough that you can maybe get a few hours of sleep. You can almost feel her breath hot on your collarbone, her hand on your hip holding you down. Your fingers move faster, harder, deeper as you reach up with your other hand to tweak your painfully hard nipples, causing you to cry out. You miss her, you want her, you need her, but you don't want to. You screwed up, you know that, and all you want is to stop seeing her face every time you close your eyes. You move your thumb to circle your clit as you feel yourself nearing the edge. Your breathing quickens, your back arches, your heart pounds. You're so close. You grab a pillow and bury your face in it to suppress the loud moan that tears from your throat as you come, her name on your lips every time.

"_Rachel."_

It's been five years. Five fucking years since you were friends, since you loved her. Since you broke both your hearts. You should be over her. But every night she's there, in your mind, as you reach beneath the blanket and allow yourself to just _feel_.


	10. Can't Make you Love Me

**Title:** Can't Make You Love Me  
**Rating:** PG-13  
**Word Count:** 5723  
**Pairing:** quinn/rachel, mentions rachel/finn, quinn/finn, rachel/jesse, quinn/sam, jesse/oc  
**Spoilers:** i guess everything up to now?  
**Disclaimer:** characters belong to fox and ryan murphy and co. lyrics belong to britney spears.  
**A/N: **part 10 of my britney fic series. this one is long. like i'm pretty sure it's the longest thing i've ever written. it just got away from me, idk. i wasn't planning on writing this right now, i have other things i intended to do first, but i literally wrote the entire thing out in my dream last night, so when i woke up i knew i had to write it. nearly 6000 words later, here you go.

* * *

_Oh baby, I will trade the fancy cars  
For a chance today, it's incomparable  
I might be sitting with the movie stars  
Everybody say that I just have it all_

_Just the thought of being close to you  
It's incomparable  
Should be happy with the life I live  
And the things I do  
Seems like I have it all_

_But I can't make you love me  
Is it my life or the things I do?  
Can't make you love me  
I'm just a girl with a crush on you_

Rachel looked down at her phone. Still no messages. She sighed. She wasn't sure why she thought this time would be any different than the last time, or the time before that, or the one before that, or any time in the last two months. _She's not going to answer, and if she does, it won't be what you want. Stop obsessing_. Her mind drifted to the other girl, images of a younger version of herself talking and laughing with the blonde. She thought about how happy she'd been back then, even though she'd been hiding a huge secret. Before she could get too lost in her memories, she was pulled back to reality by a nervous-looking PA who barely looked like he was old enough to be in high school.

"Miss Berry? You're on in five." She was appearing on Conan's season premiere. She shook her head to try and clear her thoughts. As she heard her name being announced, she stole one more quick glace at her phone, then walked out from backstage, smiling and waving, like she always did.

* * *

It had been six years since she'd left Lima and moved to New York City. She'd been accepted to Julliard, but NYU offered a full ride to their theater program, so she opted for that instead. It ended up being the best decision she ever made, because just a week after moving into her dorm, she bumped into Jesse St. James in Starbucks. He seemed happy to see her, and after some coaxing and a profuse apology for how he treated her, she agreed to have dinner with him. He was entering his junior year at Tisch and had began garnering some attention from off-off-Broadway producers. He had really matured since the last time she'd seen him at Regionals your sophomore year. He was still ambitious, but he was more realistic about his goals and expectations and was no longer the self-important divo he had been. He spoke with such passion she couldn't help but hang on to every word, and he was still unbelievably charming.

He became her closest friend in New York, and six months later when he sat she down in his apartment and admitted that he was gay, she couldn't help but laugh as she told him not to worry, so was she. He looked shocked for a minute, then started laughing with her. A year later, as he was preparing to graduate, he asked her to pretend to be his girlfriend, at least for a little while. He didn't want to hide who he was, but he wanted to stand out and make sure people noticed him; he didn't want to be written off as just another show queen with stars in his eyes. The "relationship" lasted almost two years, until she were getting ready to graduate herself. He'd secretly been dating an adorable and super-talented up-and-coming actor named Devin, and things were starting to get serious, so they decided to go public with their relationship. Jesse made sure Rachel didn't come off looking like the oblivious girlfriend; he was very clear in telling anyone who asked that she did it as a favor to him, and she knew he was gay long before he asked her to be his beard.

Rachel didn't date much in college, she was busy with classes and shows and pretending to date Jesse. There were a few girls here and there, but none of them stuck. Jesse liked to tease her about her very specific type (pretty, blonde, light eyes, toned body), until one day they were going through a box of old pictures they'd found buried in Rachel's closet. There were pictures of all the glee kids hanging out by the pool, on stage performing, dressed up in ridiculous costumes for Halloween, all kinds of goofy high school memories. He didn't think anything of it until he came across a picture of Quinn and Rachel from a party their senior year. They were holding each other tightly, their foreheads pressed together, and they both had their eyes closed and blissful smiles on their faces. Rachel rarely talked about Quinn, only mentioning her if it was absolutely necessary or if she was directly asked, but even then she would change the subject as quickly as possible without it being obvious. Rachel saw him staring at the picture, and without saying a word, she knew he knew.

Nothing had ever actually happened between herself and Quinn in high school, but that didn't mean Rachel hadn't wanted it. After all the baby drama sophomore year, they started talking outside of glee, as Rachel needed someone to vent to about all the stupid things Finn did and Quinn, having dated him, was the perfect choice. Talking led to hanging out, which led to sleepovers, and before either of them realized what was happening, they'd become inseparable. Rachel knew her feeling for Quinn were much deeper than just a close friendship, but she was terrified of ruining the best relationship she'd ever had so she kept her mouth shut and tried not to think about how badly she wanted to shove Quinn up against the lockers and kiss her until she couldn't remember her own name. Rachel and Finn barely lasted until the end of the year, and by senior year they'd decided to stay just friends. Quinn dated Sam for most of the rest of high school, breaking up right before graduation, after they'd won Prom King and Queen for the second year in a row. After graduation, Rachel left for New York while Quinn headed to California to study at Stanford, and they lost touch.

She tried to get over Quinn, she really did. She threw herself into school and performing and her career and tried to date other girls, but no matter how hard she tried, the blonde was always there in the back of her mind, and none of the girls she met could even come close. She'd been doing well and hadn't thought of the other girl in weeks when one day she walked into the Starbucks near the theater at which she she'd been rehearsing, and walking directly into someone on their way out. She mumbled an apology without looking up, but when she did, she found herself looking into hazel eyes she hadn't seen in six years.

* * *

While it may have appeared to the outside world that high school was a great time for Quinn (minus that whole baby thing that everyone conveniently forgot about as soon as she put her Cheerio uniform back on), deep down she hated it. She hated the superficiality and the lies people told in order to fit it, not that she wasn't guilty of doing that as well, and she hated that she had to fit a certain mold in order to be popular and have friends. Had she been anyone besides Quinn Fabray, her friendship with Rachel during their junior and senior years would have been mocked and probably would have cost her her popularity, but she was the HBIC and Head Cheerio and had Santana and Puck by her side, so no one dared mess with her.

She wasn't quite sure what happened with Rachel or how they got to be so close without either of them noticing, but she didn't mind. Rachel was her best friend, the one person she trusted more than anyone else in the world. Which was why, when she realized that her feelings for Rachel were more than friendly, she swore she'd never, ever tell the other girl, lest she risk losing her friendship. It was easier to suppress her feelings when she and Rachel were both dating other people, so when Finn and Rachel broke up senior year, she threw herself into her relationship with Sam. He was a nice guy and a good friend, but she wasn't the least bit attracted to him. She tried to fake it, but she could feel his interest slipping, so one night she invited him over and tearfully confessed that she was really gay and hopelessly in love with Rachel but she couldn't give into her feelings so she needed him to stay fake dating her until they were done with high school and Quinn could get away. Sam just hugged her and kissed the side of her head, and promised he'd help in whatever way he could. She didn't think it was fair to force celibacy on him just because she had no interest in sleeping with him, so she gave him permission to date other girls, as long as no one at WMHS found out. He ended up meeting a girl from Carmel and they secretly dated for all of senior year, then went to college together.

Quinn knew that Rachel was going to school in New York, so even though Columbia was her first choice, she opted to go to Stanford instead, because it was in California and as far from Rachel as she could get. She dated a few girls in college, but none of them could compare to Rachel, so none of the relationships lasted. She moved to L.A. after graduating from Stanford, but she hated how fake everything was. All anyone did was show off how much money they had and how successful they were by hiring bodyguards and paying for extravagant meals and buying unnecessary gifts, just because they could. It reminded her of high school. She left L.A. after only a year and moved to New York City, where she'd gotten a job working for a photographer. She was a little wary about living in the same city as Rachel, but she figured with 8 million people, the chances of them bumping into each other were pretty low.

She'd been living in New York for eight months when it happened. She was on her way to a meeting with a potential client and was distracted as she hurried out of Starbucks. It wasn't the one she usually went to, but she'd been running a few minutes late and opted to stop at the one closer to where they were meeting instead. It was times like those that she was grateful there were 250 Starbuckses in Manhattan, it meant she could get her grande double Vanilla soy latte on pretty much every other block. She was focused on the file containing important information about the client and not watching where she was going, and she walked right into someone. She barely looked up as she quickly apologized and went to move around the other person when she caught a whiff of a familiar musky perfume and looked up. She gasped and nearly tripped again as someone else walked out of the shop behind her, but strong arms caught her before she fell.

"You alright there?"

That _voice_. Even though she hadn't heard it live in six years, she still remembered exactly how it sounded, and she often heard it playing in her head, particularly on nights when she was feeling lonely. Despite what was going on in her head, she knew she couldn't just stand there, so pulled herself together and stood up.

"Yeah, I'm fine, don't worry about me. Sorry bout that. I'm usually much more graceful, I swear. I've gotta get going, I have a meeting…" She trailed off. _God you sound like an idiot. First time you see her in six years and this is the impression you make. Well done. Just go, before you make an even bigger fool of yourself._ She turned to walk away with what was left of her dignity, but a hand on her stopped her.

"Quinn, it's been six years. I think I at least deserve a hello, maybe even a hug." Rachel smiled. _She looks incredible. California was clearly very good to her._

Quinn nodded and moved forward to embrace the other woman. They hugged each other close, and Quinn couldn't help the soft sigh that escaped her lips as her body pressed against Rachel's, though she hoped Rachel hadn't heard it. _I'd almost forgotten how much I missed her._ They pulled away and smiled at each other. _She looks really great. New York has done her well. _They just stood there looking at each other, neither quite able to believe what they were seeing. Six years was a long time not to see a person. Someone behind Rachel cleared their throat, and for the first time Quinn noticed the large man dressed all in black and the pretty, well-dressed woman standing there. Rachel saw Quinn look behind her and suddenly remembered they weren't alone. "Quinn, this is Michelle, my agent, and Robbie, my bodyguard. Shell, Rob, this is Quinn Fabray, a friend of mine from high school."

Quinn smiled politely and shook both their hands. "It's very nice to meet you and I hate to run like this, but I'm already late for a meeting." She started walking down the street in the direction of the office when she heard her name and turned.

"Quinn, wait! Do you want to have dinner with me tomorrow night? It's been six years, I'm sure we have tons to catch up on."

Quinn paused to think for a moment as though she was checking a mental calendar, even though she knew she had no plans and her head was screaming "_YES!"_. She dug out one of her business cards and handed it to Rachel. "That sounds lovely, I think I'm free. Call me and we'll figure out the details, I really have to go. It was nice seeing you!" She turned and hurried down the street; she really was late, but she also just needed to get away from Rachel before she said something else stupid. '_That sounds lovely'? What, are you a little old grandma now? Real smooth Fabray._ She forced her brain to shut up as she entered the office, apologizing for her tardiness and beginning the meeting.

* * *

Rachel couldn't remember the last time she was so nervous about a date. Not that it was a date, it was just two old friends eating together and catching up. She was just a little thrown because it was Quinn, the girl she'd been in love with since she was 16 and who she hadn't seen in six years. It was perfectly understandable that she was stressed. She wanted the night to be perfect, so she called in a favor to a fancy restaurant she thought would impress Quinn, and reserved the best table. She preordered the most expensive wine she could think of and arranged for car to pick Quinn up from her apartment and bring her to the restaurant. It was going to be perfect. It had to be.

* * *

Quinn was exhausted by the time she finally got back to her apartment. She kicked her shoes off and collapsed on her bed, not even bothering to take off her dress first. Rachel had really gone over the top. She wasn't mad really, she was actually quite flattered, but she was a little disappointed. She didn't want to believe that Rachel was so shallow and petty that she felt the need to show off her wealth in order to get attention, but that was certainly how it appeared. When it was just them talking, Quinn almost felt like she was seventeen again and talking to her best friend, but then some expensive entrée or champagne would materialize and she was reminded of where she was. It was sweet of Rachel to go through so much trouble just for her, but Quinn wasn't interested in that kind of relationship. It was because of those kinds of people that Quinn left Los Angeles in the first place, she wasn't about to get involved with someone like that here, even just as friends. it made her a little sad; she really wanted to reconnect with Rachel and become friends again (if not more, she'd heard rumors about Rachel's sexuality and wasn't so sure they were all false), but not this Rachel. She wanted _her_ Rachel, the Rachel she was best friends with, who made her feel like the most important person in the world, the Rachel she was (still, if she was honest) in love with, but it seemed like that girl no longer existed, and Quinn wasn't sure she wanted to know this new Rachel.

* * *

Rachel tried texting Quinn the day after their dinner, but got no response until much later, and all it said was '_sry, busy day. It was nice seeing u & catchin up, thx for dinner.'_ She was disappointed, but figured the other woman really was just busy. She waited a few days before texting her again asking if she was free for dinner but didn't get a response for three days, and even then it was just _'sry I didn't answer, work's been crazy. i cant do dinner, got a work thing.'_ So she tried again the next week, _'sry, work. u know what its like. i'll be in boston for the wknd, sry'_; and the week after, _'college roomie is visiting, sry'_; and the one after that, _'i haven't been feeling well, I don't wanna get u sick and hurt your voice.'_ Even though she got rejected every time, Rachel still texted Quinn every Tuesday morning, asking about dinner on Friday. Quinn never texted back promptly, it was always hours later, sometimes days, that Rachel got whatever excuse Quinn had come up with this week. Rachel didn't understand it, what had she done wrong? She wasn't stupid, she knew Quinn was avoiding her. She just didn't know why.

* * *

Rachel walked off stage after her interview with Conan smiling and waving, but her smile disappeared the second she was hidden from the audience and cameras. She liked Conan and was happy to be on his show, but she just wasn't in the mood that night. She'd been dealing with Quinn's rejection every week for two months at this point, and it was starting to wear her down. _Maybe I should just give up, she's obviously not interested in seeing me. I just don't understand why_. She sighed. There was a party she was expected to go to after they finished taping, but she really wasn't feeling it, so she called Michelle and asked her to get her out of it, then called Jesse. She knew he was probably with Devin and would bitch about leaving, but he was her best friend and she needed him.

Jesse arrived at her apartment 10 minutes after she got back, and came prepared with pizza, a bottle of tequila and a bag of limes. He knew how Rachel felt about Quinn and he knew how much it hurt her to be so close to her again, but still so far away. They opened the tequila and poured shots, downing two each before Jesse suggested eating the pizza so they'd have some food in their stomachs. Rachel agreed and quickly ate two slices before reaching for the liquor and pouring herself another shot. Jesse knew she needed to talk, but he also knew that if he pushed her, she would shut down and just get trashed, so he waited until she was ready.

An hour later, the pizza was little more than a few discarded crusts and the tequila was two-thirds empty. Jesse sat on the couch with Rachel leaning against him. The TV was on, but neither of them was really watching. Rachel took a sip of the water Jesse insisted she drink and sighed.

"What did I do wrong, J? I picked the best restaurant, the best drinks, I sent a car to pick her up, what more does she want from me?" Jesse pulled her closer and dropped a kiss on the top of her head. He had a pretty good idea of what was wrong, he'd suspected it since Rachel recounted the entire evening for him the next day, but he knew that if he said anything before Rachel was ready to hear it, she would ignore him and do things her way, even if that was what got her into trouble in the first place. She was stubborn like that.

"Sweetie, do you remember Quinn telling you why she moved here from LA?"

Rachel thought for a moment. "She got a job."

Jesse shook his head. "She did get a job here, but that's not why she left. She told you the real reason was because she didn't like how fake things were out there. She hated how people threw around money like it was nothing as an attempt to impress others and show off how successful they were. Do you remember that?"

Rachel paused, then nodded. Jesse turned her body so he could look at her. "Ok, now think about what you did when you went out. You picked an expensive restaurant, fancy wine, sent a showy car to get her…" He watched as realization slowly dawned on her. "I'm not saying it's bad to do those things, it's just not what everyone likes and it's not right for every situation. I think that's why she's been ignoring you; she doesn't want to be a part of a world where money and material success are all anyone cares about."

"But I'm not like that! She knows that! How could she think so little of me?" Rachel looked like she was on the verge of tears. Jesse cupped her face with his hands and looked her in the eye. "Sweetie, of course you're not like that. Just just wanted it to be nice for her, I know. I think deep down, she knows that too. But it's been six years since you guys last saw each other, a lot can change in that time. Think about it, last time you saw each other, she had a boyfriend and you were still closeted. Now you're both out and fabulous. That's a huge difference. For all she knows, you're a completely different person. You need to show her even though you've grown up and matured, underneath you're the same dorky Rachel Berry you were at seventeen."

Rachel lightly slapped his shoulder. "Hey! I was not dorky." Jesse raised his eyebrow. "Ok, maybe a little. But that's besides the point. I need to figure out a way to—wait." Rachel stopped talking and turned to stare at him. "Did you say she's gay?" Jesse nodded, unable to hide the smile that was creeping across his face. "Quinn Fabray is a lesbian? Are you sure? How do you know?" Rachel's mind was racing. _If Quinn is gay, then maybe I do have a chance, which means that my apology needs to be extra perfect, since it would be doubling as a first date. Assuming Quinn was amenable to the idea of dating me. Oh god, what if she's totally not interested and I freak her out? Or worse, what if I already destroyed my one chance with her? oh god oh god oh god…._

Jesse smirked when Rachel got quiet, knowing what was going on in her head. "Yes, she definitely bats for your team. I know because 1) unlike you, I pay attention when people talk, and based on what you told me about the conversations you guys had over dinner, she was definitely dropping hints. And 2) one of the sound guys on Devin's new show went to school with Sam and they stayed friendly, and he asked Sam about Quinn. Apparently she had a bit of a crush on you, and only stayed with him so she's have something to focus on other than how much she wanted to ravish you under the bleachers. So I think it's safe to say that apologizing for being an idiot by taking her on a date is a very good idea. I'll even help you plan it so you don't screw up again."

Rachel stuck her tongue out at him. He was right though, she was going to need help. This had to be the most perfect date ever. She was about to start throwing out ideas for what they could do, when she realized something.

"How am I going to get her to agree to go out with me at all? She's been avoiding me for two months."

Jesse grinned. "Don't worry about that. I have a plan."

* * *

Quinn sat at the table in the corner of her usual Starbucks, like she did every day she didn't have to rush to a meeting. She liked the spot because she could see the people passing on the street, but if she didn't want them to see her, she could just move to the other side of the table and she was safely hidden from view. She sipped her drink slowly, as it was still very hot, as she flipped through a portfolio of someone who wanted to intern for her. She wasn't paying attention to the other people in the shop, and it took her a moment to notice the shadow that covered half her table, alerting her to the presence of another person. She ignored them at first, assuming they would go away, but when the shadow didn't leave, she put down her work, preparing to tell them off. When she looked up and saw who it was, however, the words died in her throat.

"Hello Quinn. I don't mean to interrupt you, but I have a favor to ask you and you've been ignoring me, so I decided to just come ask you in person. It seemed like the most effective solution. Do you mind?"

Quinn shook her head. She wasn't really sure what the other woman had in mind, but she couldn't help but be a little curious. Rachel smiled. "Fabulous. Now, Quinn. I want to apologize for my behavior the last time we saw each other. I was out of line assuming that you would be impressed by such material wealth, and for that I am sorry. I should have known better, I was just nervous and wanted that evening to be perfect, and in the process I made it everything but. So I'm asking you to forgive me, and to give me a second chance to do it right. Oh, and I'm also asking you to go on a date with me. I figured I could combine my apology and our potential first date into one outing so it would be easier to fit into your schedule. That is, if you accept my apology. And if you're willing to give me a chance and go out with me."

Quinn was silent as she processed everything Rachel said. _Did she really just ask me out? Oh my god, is this real life? Rachel Berry just asked to take me out on a date. Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh my god. _She took a deep breath. _Ok. Get yourself together. Be cool. You're in control here, she's waiting for you. Just relax and pretend you aren't completely freaking out inside, and it will be fine. She asked you out, she's obviously interested. That's the hard part. You've already got her, now you just have to go get her._

Rachel bit on her bottom lip nervously as she waited for Quinn to answer. She watched as the blonde processed her request and considered it, then as she took a sip of her latte before she spoke.

"That seems like a reasonable proposition. I'm free tomorrow night, pick me up at seven?"

Rachel's jaw dropped slightly. _Did she actually just say yes?_ She'd wanted Quinn to say yes, she'd hoped she's say yes, but she didn't expect it to actually happen. _Say something, idiot. You just got her to agree to go out with you, don't scare her away yet_. "I, um. Ok. That sounds good. I'll see you at seven tomorrow night."

Rachel stood there awkwardly for a moment, as though she wasn't sure what she should do, then blushed and turned around and left. Quinn just shook her head and smiled, turning back to her work. _Now _there's_ the Rachel Berry I remember.

* * *

_

If Rachel thought she was nervous last time she had dinner with Quinn, she didn't have words for what she was feeling as the clock ticked closer and closer to seven o'clock. She'd already changed her outfit four times, and would have changed again if Jesse hadn't threatened to hide her Funny Girl DVD if she even considered going back into the closet (he actually said those words, which caused Devin, who was sitting on the couch watching the whole thing unfold, to burst out laughing, earning him a death glare from Rachel). Just before she left the apartment, Rachel turned back and looked at Jesse with a worried expression on her face. Jesse just shook his head and smiled, and blew her a kiss before settling in on the couch next to Devin, who gave Rachel a thumbs up and a smile. She smiled back, a silent thank you, and headed out to get Quinn.

* * *

Four hours later, Rachel was walking Quinn back to her apartment, their fingers laced together. The date had gone spectacularly well; everything Rachel planned worked out perfectly, and she successfully avoided saying anything too dumb or embarrassing. After she picked Quinn up they walked to this tiny, hole-in-the-wall burger place that Rachel knew about that had the best bacon cheeseburgers in the city, and even though she wasn't a fan of bacon, she knew Quinn loved it. They got their food to go and went over to Central Park, where they had a little picnic. When they finished eating, they went for a walk around the park, stopping periodically to listen to the various groups playing live music. Every so often, their hands would brush as they walked, causing one or both of them to blush. After the fifth time it happened, Quinn rolled her eyes and grabbed Rachel's hand. Rachel's face broke out in a huge grin, and they continued walking hand in hand for the rest of the evening.

By the time they reached Quinn's doorstep, neither of them wanted the night to end. They'd talked about just about everything over the course of the night, except the nature of their feelings for each other. They both admitted they'd had crushes in high school, but they didn't discuss what that meant now. They walked up the stairs to the door and Rachel waited while Quinn searched through her bag for her keys. When she found them, she turned back to Rachel and smiled.

"So, I had a really great time tonight. Thank you."

Rachel smiled back. "You're welcome. Thank _you_ for agreeing to come out with me, especially after how I acted last time. You really had no reason to say yes."

Quinn stepped forward and placed her hands on Rachel's hips. "Of course I was going to say yes. You were my best friend in high school and I had a huge crush on you, I wasn't going to pass up the opportunity to have the date I never got to have. Besides, while you were cute back then, you're _really_ hot now, and it's my personal philosophy to never say no when a gorgeous woman asks me out. Unless I'm already with one, in which case the other one can suck it."

Rachel grinned. "I know I should probably be mature and say something sweet and charming here, but all I can think to say is 'you think I'm gorgeous, you want to kiss me, you want to date me…' Sorry."

Quinn laughed and pulled Rachel a little closer. She ducked her head so her mouth was next to Rachel's ear, and spoke softly. "You're right, though. I do think you're gorgeous, I do want to date you and I would really, really like to kiss you right now."

Quinn licked the shell of Rachel's ear and pulled back. Rachel swallowed thickly, then looked up and locked her eyes with Quinn's. "You know, I have a personal philosophy to never say no when a beautiful woman wants to kiss me."

Quinn raised one eyebrow. "Oh really. Well then-" Before Quinn could get the rest of the sentence out, Rachel surged up and pressed her lips against Quinn's. Quinn groaned when she felt Rachel's tongue tracing her lips, and she opened her mouth to allow their tongues to duel. Her grip tightened on Rachel's hips and she pulled her closer, until Rachel's body was flush against hers. She moved one hand up to tangle in Rachel's hair as the other moved down to grab her ass. Rachel moaned and thrust her hips against Quinn's, forcing Quinn to stumble backwards against the door. Her thigh found its way into between Quinn's legs and she pushed into Quinn, eliciting a moan from the taller girl.

They were getting really into it, not caring that they were still standing outside Quinn's apartment where anyone could see them. Just as Quinn's hand slipped under Rachel's shirt, a loud car horn beeped, surprising the girls and snapping them back to reality. They broke apart, both breathing hard. Rachel moved back slightly from where she had Quinn pinned against the doorframe and really looked at the other girl. Her eyes were darker than usual, her lips pink and swollen and slightly parted, her skin flushed, her hair slightly mussed. In short, she looked like sex. Quinn looked back at Rachel, hunger burning in her eyes.

"Come upstairs." It wasn't a request.

Rachel smiled and pecked Quinn on the lips, then intertwined her fingers with Quinn's and grabbed her bag. "Let's go, baby."


End file.
